Based on the vote totals, everyone voted for Oregon to win the league (coaches don't vote for their own team, so Graves voted for Stanford). Stanford and Oregon St were picked next on every ballot but not in the same order.

The Pac 12 Network has coverage of media day starting in a few hours, and ESPNU will have an hour of coverage at 6PM ET.

UCLA was voted #1 two years in a row and that didn't work out so well. I do have more faith in Graves than Close so Oregon's #1 ranking seems more than fair.

I think it's Oregon/Stanford/OSU in no particular order and Cal/ASU/UCLA/USC will battle for #4. Still not sold on Cal being this high with no outside shooting and also Gottlieb, and I also think ASU is too high. UCLA will have to get used to life without Billings and Canada but still with Close. USC's biggest issue will be whether they can have great chemistry with so many new players.

They're an intriguing team but I'm not convinced Trakh is that good of a coach. They're experienced at guard and the two transfers should contribute, but they lost three starters. They'll need someone in the post to step up.

UCLA was voted #1 two years in a row and that didn't work out so well. I do have more faith in Graves than Close so Oregon's #1 ranking seems more than fair.

I think it's Oregon/Stanford/OSU in no particular order and Cal/ASU/UCLA/USC will battle for #4. Still not sold on Cal being this high with no outside shooting and also Gottlieb, and I also think ASU is too high. UCLA will have to get used to life without Billings and Canada but still with Close. USC's biggest issue will be whether they can have great chemistry with so many new players.

Cal is certainly an interesting team this season. I wouldn't say they have no outside shooting. While their guards are generally more adept at driving Asha Thomas hit 35% of her 3's last season and I suspect Keanna Smith will improve this season. Recee Caldwell was poor from 3 last year but hit 36% in 2016-17 Indeed I suspect they will increase their 3 point shots from 16 per game to about 20. The biggest question for me is whether they can keep Kristine Anigwe out of foul trouble, particularly against some of the athletic centers in the league. The other question is whether CJ West or Alaysia Styles can give consistent quality minutes inside. If they can do that fourth place is likely, and they could make the second weekend in the NCAA.

UCLA was voted #1 two years in a row and that didn't work out so well. I do have more faith in Graves than Close so Oregon's #1 ranking seems more than fair.

I think it's Oregon/Stanford/OSU in no particular order and Cal/ASU/UCLA/USC will battle for #4. Still not sold on Cal being this high with no outside shooting and also Gottlieb, and I also think ASU is too high. UCLA will have to get used to life without Billings and Canada but still with Close. USC's biggest issue will be whether they can have great chemistry with so many new players.

Cal is certainly an interesting team this season. I wouldn't say they have no outside shooting. While their guards are generally more adept at driving Asha Thomas hit 35% of her 3's last season and I suspect Keanna Smith will improve this season. Recee Caldwell was poor from 3 last year but hit 36% in 2016-17 Indeed I suspect they will increase their 3 point shots from 16 per game to about 20. The biggest question for me is whether they can keep Kristine Anigwe out of foul trouble, particularly against some of the athletic centers in the league. The other question is whether CJ West or Alaysia Styles can give consistent quality minutes inside. If they can do that fourth place is likely, and they could make the second weekend in the NCAA.

The key for Cal is Caldwell. If she can come close to 40% from three, the inside will open up for Anigwe. If she's back at 24% (last year's number), only the very undersized Asha Thomas looks to be a three-point threat.

Of course players like Kianna Smith can improve from distance, but if Thomas is all they've got, it could be a long year. On the other hand, Lindsay Gottlieb was gushing about her team at media day (which may or may not mean anything as she's always publicly positive) so maybe this will another big season.

UCLA was voted #1 two years in a row and that didn't work out so well. I do have more faith in Graves than Close so Oregon's #1 ranking seems more than fair.

I think it's Oregon/Stanford/OSU in no particular order and Cal/ASU/UCLA/USC will battle for #4. Still not sold on Cal being this high with no outside shooting and also Gottlieb, and I also think ASU is too high. UCLA will have to get used to life without Billings and Canada but still with Close. USC's biggest issue will be whether they can have great chemistry with so many new players.

Cal is certainly an interesting team this season. I wouldn't say they have no outside shooting. While their guards are generally more adept at driving Asha Thomas hit 35% of her 3's last season and I suspect Keanna Smith will improve this season. Recee Caldwell was poor from 3 last year but hit 36% in 2016-17 Indeed I suspect they will increase their 3 point shots from 16 per game to about 20. The biggest question for me is whether they can keep Kristine Anigwe out of foul trouble, particularly against some of the athletic centers in the league. The other question is whether CJ West or Alaysia Styles can give consistent quality minutes inside. If they can do that fourth place is likely, and they could make the second weekend in the NCAA.

The key for Cal is Caldwell. If she can come close to 40% from three, the inside will open up for Anigwe. If she's back at 24% (last year's number), only the very undersized Asha Thomas looks to be a three-point threat.

Of course players like Kianna Smith can improve from distance, but if Thomas is all they've got, it could be a long year. On the other hand, Lindsay Gottlieb was gushing about her team at media day (which may or may not mean anything as she's always publicly positive) so maybe this will another big season.

I agree with you that they need more than just Thomas. I believe that Smith will improve this season. Last year she slumped in the middle of the season so it is hard to get a sense of what her proper level is. In her first 12 games she shot 18-43 (42%), then slumped in her next 12 (6-43, 14%) and rebounded her last 7 games to shoot 12-27 (44%). From what I saw she has good form and at 6 feet tall she can get her shot away easier than Thomas.

I'm not sure what to think of Caldwell. She was certainly a high volume shooter (7 3ptFGA per game over her 2 years at Texas Tech, but I suspect she will be more of a distributor for Cal. From what Coach Gottlieb said of her yesterday I think she sees her as a court leader and I suspect she will spend significant time at the point. The other name that could factor in is M'Cole Cayton. If she has fully healed from her ACL last season she should be in the rotation. Although I always saw her a more of a slasher than an outside threat, she did go 3-9 from beyond the arc in her one game last season.

Hard to make any real evaluations from these games but some first impressions:

Arizona freshman Cate Reese made an immediate impact, leading the Wildcats with 21 points. Stanford steamrolled a Vanguard team that is usually competitve. Tara played her entire team with 11 players scoring at least 5 points and no one scoring more than 11. Utah seems committed to playing up tempo.

Cal showed a four guard offense for much of the game. Jaelyn Brown has decent size and strength and Kianna Smith is 6-2 but seems undersized. This could be problematic against some of the bigger teams in the Pac 12. Recee Caldwell took only 3 shots in 25 minutes but had 6 assistss (Asha Thomas had 7). Mi'Cole Cayton coming off an ACL injury in the first game of last season did not play and I wonder how much she will be able to contribute this season.

Hull starting for Stanford. That would be a major nice surprise if she can actually step in there for McPhee.

OrSU: no mention of their two Freshman giraffes. hmm.

_________________“Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.”
― Maya Angelou
SO ...I lost a bet with Rock about how many wins Chicago would get this year. My punishment - T. Young as my avatar. Well it could be worse!

Hull starting for Stanford. That would be a major nice surprise if she can actually step in there for McPhee.

OrSU: no mention of their two Freshman giraffes. hmm.

I thought I read Aquinio injured her knee. Then I read on OSU forum that she was dressed, didnt play. Someone asked her if she will play this season and she said she will be back soon..
I saw her play one game last year, in HS, and thought she has talent that the OSU staff will have to work on to get up to Pac 12 level.

Two weeks in and the Pac 12 is looking good, at least south of Washington. There are still some questions on whether the top teams are Final Four capable, but there is quite a bit of talent. The Washington schools are 3-4 but the rest of the Conference is 32-3. The only losses are to Baylor (ASU) and Loyola-Marymount (UCLA and Arizona.)

Oregon 4-0. Wins over Syracuse and Buffalo. The Ducks haven't quite lived up to their #3 ranking but they look like a top 10 team.

Stanford 3-0. No tests yet but they are winning by an average of 35 points per game.

Oregon St 3-0. Easy 33 point win over St Mary's. The Beavers interior play has not yet jelled, but if it does this team will be a force.

California 4-0. Road wins over Penn St and BYU. Kristen Anigwe is averaging 25 points and 15 rebounds per game. The Bears have moved up to #18 which may be a little high, but they are undefeated against reasonable competition. With games this weekend in San Diego against Tulane and USD they will have played 6 games with only 1 game at home. I don't know another power 5 team with that type of schedule.

Arizona St 2-1. ASU had a 6 point loss against Baylor and then beat Arkansas on the road. #19 may not be warranted, but again this is a team capable of beating any of the top teams in the conference.

UCLA 3-1. The Bruins have bounced back from their loss to LMU. They didn't deserve their Top 25 ranking in the Coaches Poll but they do have talent. This weekend they play North Carolina, Kentucky and South Florida in the Virgin Islands.

USC 4-0. A weak non-conference schedule makes it hard to get a read, but so far this team looks like it is improved from last season.

Colorado 3-0. Wins over Northern Colorado and North Carolina show that the Buffs are a team to not take lightly, particularly at home.

Arizona 3-1. This is a team on the rise. Aari McDonald is averaging 30 points per game, Cate Reese looks like the freshman of the year. They won't make the top half of the Pac 12 this season but I fully expect they will pull at least one big upset.

Utah 3-0. The Utes beat Alabama, a decent victory. I haven't seen herplay yet, but freshman Dre'Una Edwards could be a difference maker.